Clinical Treatment and Anatomy Study of Maxillary First Molars with Five Root Canals

Abstract

HE purpose of root canal treatment is to thoroughly clean the root canal system and fill it in all its dimensions. To achieve this goal, the entire root canal system must be adequately debrided and completely filled. In clinical practice, variations in the canal morphology pose a constant challenge to endodontists in deciding on accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Knowledge of these variations is crucial for a successful endodontic treatment, especially in absence of an operating microscope or cone-beam computered tomography (CBCT). The maxillary first molar generally has three or four canals, with one canal in each of the palatal and distobuccal (DB) roots, and the other one or two in the mesiobuccal (MB) root. Examination of the configuration of the canals located in the MB root showed that most cases had treatable second canals and lesser had two separate apical foramina, and in other cases with five canals, three of them were located in the MB root. In recent years, with the development of operating microscope and CBCT, several different morphological variations in root canals have been detected. Albuquerque et al reported 3 cases of maxillary first molar with six root canals, two in each root. Kottoor et